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Multiple-Meaning Words

A multiple-meaning word is spelled and said the same way but means different things: a bat flies at night, and you hit a ball with a bat. Context is the only clue, which is why these words are such good reading practice.

Here are 120 multiple-meaning words from past ClueBy puzzles, each with a real example sentence for every meaning. Use them as a reference, or make a printable worksheet below.

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Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

Words on the sheet
468
Word bank
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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: fine · safe · straw · rule · bear · game · mine · prune

  1. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  2. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  3. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  4. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  5. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  6. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  7. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  8. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  9. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  10. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  11. That was a fun ________________.
  12. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  13. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  14. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  15. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  16. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  17. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  18. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  19. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  20. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  21. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  22. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  23. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  24. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com

Answer key

  1. prune — the fruit
  2. game — a kind of play
  3. rule — to rule out
  4. prune — to trim
  5. game — wild animals
  6. rule — government
  7. safe — out of danger
  8. rule — a law
  9. safe — a strongbox
  10. straw — a straw man
  11. game — a match
  12. mine — belonging to me
  13. mine — an explosive
  14. bear — to put up with
  15. fine — high quality
  16. straw — to clutch at straws
  17. mine — for digging
  18. bear — the animal
  19. straw — dry grass
  20. prune — to trim
  21. fine — all right
  22. fine — a penalty
  23. bear — the animal
  24. safe — out of danger

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

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Frequently asked questions

What are multiple-meaning words?

Words with the same spelling and pronunciation but more than one meaning, like bark (of a dog or of a tree) or bank (for money or of a river). You can only tell which meaning is meant from the rest of the sentence.

Are multiple-meaning words the same as homonyms?

Mostly, yes. Teachers often use "multiple-meaning words" and "homonyms" for the same idea. Homophones are different: they sound alike but are spelled differently, like flour and flower.

Are the worksheets free?

Yes. Make and print as many as you like for home or classroom use. Each sheet has its own link, so you can print the same one again.

Where do the words come from?

From past ClueBy puzzles, a daily game where you sort twelve sentences by their missing word. A new puzzle every day adds four more words to this list.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com